Muscat Travel Guide and Tips

Muscat

Muscat is a fascinating city of Oman where the magnificent sunrise enlightens the sky-piercing mountains and the serene sunset is washed by crystalline blue sea waves. Such authentic beauty of Muscat charms travellers from all over the world to plan holidays to this mesmerizing tourist destination.

Apart from the sightseeing attractions, the city also offers a great deal of lures for the cultural enthusiasts. The glorious culture and awe-inspiring traditions of Muscat are outstanding and are counted among the top reasons for the elevating tourism here. Moreover, the city features a number of fortresses, mansions and gates that mirror the superb architecture of Muscat. For nature devotees, Muscat is undoubtedly a dreamland where one may find an array of parks and gardens that take the beauty of the city to zenith.

Important Statistics

Top Tourist Spots in Muscat

Tourists booking air tickets on flights to Muscat are sure to get enthralled by the bunch of sightseeing attractions. The city flaunts a blend of tradition, culture and modernism that floor travellers of all likes and ages. Muscat is home to many splendid museums and spectacular palace and forts that narrate the stories of the glorious past of this legendary city of Oman. Some popular tourist destinations in Muscat are:

Shopping Attractions in Muscat

Travellers booking flights to Muscat never forget to bring extra shopping bags to shop at the happening shopping spots of the city. Muscat features numerous shopping destinations ranging from traditional markets to hi-tech and opulent malls. Most of the shops in the city stay open in morning hours and then get closed during the lunchtime. Such remarkable shopping attractions of the city persuade millions of shopping lovers to look for cheap flights to Muscat to enjoy enriching holidays.

Eating Out in Muscat

The cuisines in Muscat are as varied as its population that includes Islamic Arabic, American, British and Dutch citizens. There is an endless variety of food in the city to tantalise the taste-buds of every traveller booking tickets on cheap flight to Muscat. The city offers countless number of eating joints where one can enjoy delectable food and spend some great moments with their family and friends.

Hotels in Muscat

Travellers booking flights to Muscat pick from a wide choice of hotels in the city ranging from cheap budget hotels to lavish grand hotels. The city’s budget hotels also boast reasonably good facilities, amenities and services for a comfortable stay. Some popular hotels in Muscat are:

Airports in Muscat

Muscat International Airport located at a distance of 40 kilometres to the west of the city is the main airport in Muscat. Every year millions of travellers with flights tickets to Muscat land at this outstanding airport that hosts both domestic as well as international flights including Air Arabia, EgyptAir, IndiGo, Jet Airways, Oman Air etc. The airport is going through a three billion USD growth that will raise its capacity to 12 million travellers a year.

Popular Airlines to Muscat

Getting Around in Muscat

Travellers booking holiday packages to Muscat have a number of transportation options to travel within the city. Taxis and buses are the most prominent and preferred modes of transportation in the city for their comfort and reasonable prices. Travellers who do not want to share their travel with other people may rent private cars. As taxis are not metered in Muscat, travellers must take an idea of the cost of the fares from their guides or hotel staff to avoid being cheated.

Health and Safety Precautions

• Muscat is a hot country and thus chances of dehydration and heat strokes remains very high. Therefore, the travellers must intake lots of water (bottled) to stay cool and relaxed.
• While travelling to Muscat, holidaymakers must maintain a high level of safety alertness and must avoid large gatherings and parties at public places.
• Travellers on holidays to Muscat must carry their identification proof with themselves to show at the time of need.

Best Time to Visit Muscat

Muscat experiences really hot and humid summers which may spoil the holiday mood of the travellers and restrict them from going out of their hotel rooms. Therefore, one must avoid planning their vacations to Muscat during summer months. The best time to visit Muscat is between the months of October to March. During this period of the year, the weather of the city stays pretty pleasurable with temperature ranging between 15 to 3 degrees. The season is best to relish all the outdoor activities in the city such as visiting various sightseeing attractions, unwinding at beachside, participating in various adventurous sports, etc.

Culture and Lifestyle

The renowned Middle East capital, Muscat is home to varied cultures and religions out of which the most prominent one is Islam. This is the recognized religion of Muscat and 75 % of the total population follows it. All the monuments and building in the city hold the traces of the glorious culture of Muscat and catch the attraction of millions of cultural enthusiasts from all over the globe. Moreover, various arts and crafts, local folk dance and music of Muscat beautifully outline the glorious culture of the city.

Though the urbanization in the city has risen to great heights, yet the locals here respect and follow all their local customs and traditions like modest dress up, fasting during Ramadan, etc.

Social Conventions

Muscat being an Islamic city is very rigid for its cultures and local customs. Therefore, travellers must respect and follow all the local laws of the city. Female travellers on holidays to Muscat must dress in a modest manner and must not flaunt their arms or legs in public. Swim costumes must be worn only near the beach area and swimming pools and not close to any public place.

Travellers visiting Muscat during Ramadan need to be extra careful and must restrain their heart from common earthly pleasures like drinking, smoking and eating in public.

Travellers must not involve in any sort of illegal activities in the city like drug trafficking, smuggling and possession as even the smallest quantity of drugs can result in a prison verdict and sometimes in death penalty as well.

Money Exchange

Travellers can procure foreign exchange from any major bank in the city or at Muscat International Airport (Travelex).

(Note: This destination guide is based on information gathered from reliable resources available on the internet and provides only general information about the destination. Southall Travel holds no responsibility for any misrepresentation of facts and shall not be in any way liable for any kind of eventuality such as damages, loss, additional costs etc arising from the use of information given in this guide).